Repeating attachment for phonographs



June 12, 1928. 1,673,235

W. B. FAGEOL REPEATING ATTACHMENT FOR PHONOGRAPHS Filed Jan. 21, 1927 3Sheets-Sheet June 12, 1928. 1,673,235

W. B. FAGYEOL REPEATING ATTACHMENT FOR PHONOGRAPHS Filed Jan. 21, 1927 sSheets-Sheet 2 June 12, 1928. I 1,673,235

' 4 w. B. FAGEOL REPEATING ATTACHMENT FOR PHONOGRAPHS Filed Jan. 21,1927 s'sheets-sheet 3 g V W Patented June 12, 1928.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM B. PAGE-0L, or OAKLAND, oeuro nnm.

RE EEATING ATTACHMENT FOR PHONOGRAPHS.

Application filed January 21, Serial No, 162,494,

This invention relates to mechanisms used in phonographs forauton'iat-ically repeating the playing of a record. I

Itis the chief object of the invention to devise a mechanism of thischaracter which will be extremely simple in construction, will beentirely reliable in operation. and which'can be manufacturedeconomically.

' The nature or the invention will'be' readily'understood irom thefollowing description when read in connect-ion with the accompanyingdrawings, and the novel features will be particularly pointed outin theappended claims.

In the drawings,

Figure lis'a plan view showing a mechanism eihbodying this inventionattached to the tone arm of a plion'ograph;

Fig, 2v is a side elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan View showing a mechanism embodying this inventionapplied to a phonograph of a different type from that shown marge-1 and2; v

Fig. 4 is a" cross-sectional view substantially on the line4t, i 3;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view substantially on the' line 5-5, Eig. 3;and] 7 Figs. 6 and 7 are plan and side'vie'ws, respectively, showingstill another embodiment of. the invention;

Referring first toFigs. 1 and 2, the con struction there shown Comprisesa tone arm 2 mounted for swinging movement about a vertical pivot 3 andcarrying a' goose neck 4 which forms, in effect, 'a continuation of thetone arm 2. The goose neck carries a reproducer or sound box 5, thisre'produc'er having a holder for the needle or stylus 6 which runs inthe grooves 01": the disk record 7. This record is supported on arevolving table 8 which is mounted on the upper end of a spindle orshaft 9, and the up" 10 of this spindle projects through the table andrecord and serves as a centering pin for the records. The pivotalsupport of thetone arm permits it to swing in a horizontal plane asthereproducer 5 travels laterally across the record 7 and the goose neck ismounted for pivotal movement about a horizontalaxis transverse to theaxis of the tone arm, so that the reproducer 5'can be swung upwardly outof playing positior'n'with the needle 0d the record, or downwardlyintosaidposition again.

The parts so far described are those of a well known make of ph6img1-a'1'1;

The mechanism embodying this invention as illustrated inFigs. '1 and 2,comprises a lever 12 t'ulcrum'edat 13 'on a clamp 14 which is removablysecured to the tone arm 2. This l ev'e'r includ'es a'weight'ed rearwardend 15 and a curved forward arm 16 which projects under the part of thegoose neck 1 in'nnediately adjacent to the r eprodfucer'. A screw 17 isthreaded vertically't'hr'o ugh the end otthe arn i 1'6 and is adapted toengage the goose'neckl 'The operatingelement for this mechanism consistsof a cam'18 rotatably inounted on 'a horizontal shaft 19 which projectslaterally from the lever'12. Preterably the edge of the cam is coveredwith rubber,leather, or some equivalent material. It will be observedthat'th'e cam 18 is offset laterally'tro-m the tone arm ina direc tioninwardly with reference to the record 7 so that when the playing of therecord is begunfhe cam 18 willbe positioned over the central portion ofthe record 7. A t this time the cam is held out or engagementwith therecord by the weighted end 1 5"ot the lever 12. Also, the low point a'of the cam disk, that is, the point on the surface nearest to the axis,is lowermost and close to the record, the cam being prevented fromrotating under the'intluencebt gravity by astop pin 20, Fig. 1, whichprojects from the hub of the cam 18 and at'this time engages anotherstop 21 projecting from the arm 12 at'the lower side of the shaft 19.

For the purpose of moving the'cam 18 into contact with therec'ord whentheplaying of the record has been substantially completed, a stop screw22 is arranged to en'- g'age the weighted end 15 of the lever 12, thisscrew being threaded through an upwardly projecting arm of a stationarybracket 28 which is screwed to the top of the phonograph cabinet. lVhenthe screw engages the curved lower side otthe lever arm 15 as the tonearm and lever are being carried inwardly of the record 7, the screwswings the right-hand endof the lever '12 downwardly, thus bringingthe'e'dge of the cam '18 into contactwith the record? The movement of;the record revolves the cam 18 in a clockwise direction, Fig. 2, and,due to t e eccent c sh p f'th' c ei e movement r s s ii f n th r thandand or th e er 2, h s bring he screw 17 into contact with the goose neck4 and liftingthe reproducer out of playing position, or, in other words,lifting the needle 6 out of contact with the record. The

rotative movement so imparted to the cam.

18 is limited by the stop pins 20-21, previously referred to, and therecord 7 immediately begins to transfer the cam disk and the tone arm,swinging the arm outwardly toward its initial position. Thistransferring movement continues until the cam arrives at a point on theother side of the central part of the record where the direction oftravel of the record is such that it rotates the cam in a directionopposite to its previous direction of rotation. This reverse rotationresults in lowering the reproducer 5 into playing position again withthe needle 6 in contact with the grooved portion of the record.

In order to limit the outward or resetting- I movement of the tone arm,the bracket 23 is provided with a second upwardly extending arm throughwhich a stop screw 25 1s threaded, this screw being positioned to engagea lug 26, Fig. 2, which projects downwardly from the clamp 14. Theadjustability of the screw permits the setting of it for different sizesof records and also to accommodate variations in the distance wardlyfrom the edge at which the record grooves begin on different records ofthe same size.

It willbe observed that due to the offset arrangement of the cam withreferenceto the tone arm, the cam is located, when the playing of arecordis begun, at a point between the sound box and the line b7)'connecting the axes of the pivots 3 and 10. During the playing oftherecord the .cam moves laterally across said line vbb and away fromthe central part of the record.

Consequently, whenthe cam is lowered into contact with the record 7 itstrikes a part of the record which is moving at arelatively high speed.The subsequent resetting or transferring movement of the cam'and thetone arm results in moving the caminto contact with a part of'therecordmuch closer to the center pinjlO, so that when the reverse rotation ofthe cam occurs, the disk then 'is driven by a part of the record whichmoves at a comparatively slow speed. This ar- Jrangement is of advantagein lowering the reproducer gradually into'its playing ])0Slcent to thercproducer 5, and lifts the re producer when the playing of a record isfinished. The tone arm is supported in, a bracket or fixture 29 so thatit can swing horizontally about a vertical axis 3', and can also pivotvertically. The operation of this mechanism is essentially like that of'the mechanism shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

A further modificationis shown in Figs.

6 and 7. In this arrangement the tone arm 2, goose neck 4 and reproducer5 are constructed substantially as shown in Fig. 1. The cam 30 in thisinstance is made of heavy wire coveredwith rubber and it is mounted torotate on a shaft 81 which is supported in a bearing that is either madeintegral with, or is secured fast to, the goose neck extension 4 of thetone arm. The cam is held in an inoperative position by cooperatingstops 3233, Fig. 6. as the reproducer travels laterally across therecord, but as the playing of the record nears completion, an extension34 of the cam strikes the. inclined portion 35 of a stationary arm whichoverlies the record. Further lateral inward movement of the tone armthen results in swinging the disk downwardly intocontact with the record7, thus causing the record to rotate the disk in a direction to raisethe reproducer out of playing position. The reproducer and cam are thentransferred by. the record to their initial positions where thedirection of rotation of the "record is such that it reverses themovement of the cam 30, causing it to lower the reproducer again intoplaying position.

able screw 36 which corresponds in function to the screw 25 of theconstruction shown in Figs. 1 and 2. I

It will now be evident that this invention provides an cxtren'iclysimple mechanism for causing a phonograph to repeat the playing of arecord automatically as many times as desired; The mechanism can bemanufactured very economically. it'is easily attached v This trans.ferring movement is limited by an adjustto a machine, and it requiresthe making of only very'simple adjustmentsto accommodatedifi'erentrecords. It is extremely reliable in operation;

While/I have herein shown and described the best embodiment-sot theinvention that I have so far devised, it will be evident. that:

the invention maybe embodied in other iorn'is without departing from thespirit or scope thereof.

fHavi'ng thus described my inventiomwhat I'desire to claim as new is:

l. A repeating mechanism for disk phonographs comprising, incombination, a device "arranged to be operated the phonograph record toraise the reproducer-out'oi playing position and to lower it again intosaid position, supporting means for said device connected with the tonearm and operative to cause the tone ari'n to move said device from oneside of the central portion of the record to the other, means forholding said device out of contact with the record during the playing ofthe record, and means for lowering the device into contact with thercrord when the playing, of the record has been substantially completed.

2. In a repeating 'att'a'c'hment ior phonographs, a mechanism forraising thereproducer out or playing position and returning it again tosaid position, comprising a cam, means for supporting said cam formovement laterally across therecor d with the tone arm from a point onthe record operative to rotate the cam in one direction to an otherpoint operative to rotate it in the opposite direction, and means forcontrolling the engagement or said cam with the record.

In a repeating attachment for phonegraphs, a mechanism for raisingth'erepreducer out of playing position and returning it again to saidposition, comprising a cam, means for supporting said cam for movementlaterally across the record with the tone arm from a point on the recordoperative to rotate the cam in one direction to another point operativeto rotate it in the opposite direction, means for movlng said cam intooperative contact with the record at sul'istantially the completion ofthe playing of the record, whereby the cam is 0perated by the record toraise said reproducer, transfer it to its initial position, and lowerthe reproducer again, and means for limiting said transferring movement01" the reproducer.

l. In a repeating attachment for phonographs, a mechanism for raisingthe reproducer out of playing position and returning it again to saidposition, comprising a 'am, means for supporting said cam :tor movementlaterally across the record with the tone arm from a high speed point onthe record operative to rotate the cam in one direction to a low speedpoint operative to rotate the cam in the opposite direction, means 101'holding said cam in an inoperative position during the playing of therec- 0rd, and means for moving said cam into operative contact. with therecord substantially at the completion of the playing of the record,said cam being arranged to be operated by the rec rate li' ftreprodiicer our of playing passes, "to be carried the record tosubstantially its initial position, and then to lower said reproduc'erinto playing'position again; H V, v

In a re eating'meehanismiordiskphonogra'pli's, the combination with atone arm and a reproducer connected thereto, of cam, means supportingsaid cam formotejmerit across the record inniiison with the tone ar'ni,said cam 'being arranged tobe rotated in opposite directions bycontac'twiththe record at diiierent pointsaiid operative when rotated in onedirection to raise the rep'roduce'r out of playing pos'itioi and whenrotated in the opposite diiectionfto lower said reprodii'cer intoplaying position again, means for holding said cam in an ino 'a'erativ'eposition during the play ing of the record, means, for moving said caminto operative contact with the record approximately when the playing ofa record has been completed wherebythe cam will be rotated to raise the'rep'iodncer', transfer to its initial position and lower the ieprodncer again, and adjustable means for limiting said transferringmovement or the re: prodi'i'cer. i i V i 6, Ina disk phonograph, thecombination with a reproducer and a tone arm pivoted for movementtherewith across a record, of a rotatable device for raising andlowering said reprodiicer, means for connecting said device with saidto'ne arm for movement therey'vit'h' a'cr'os's the record from one sideto the other of a line connecting the axis of rotation of the recordwith the pivotal axis of said tone arm, and means for moving said deviceinto contact with the record when the playing of the record has beensubstantially completed, said device being operable upon its rotation bysaid record in one direction to raise said reproducer, then to move inthe same general direction as the record to transfer the reproducer toits initial position, and then to be rotated by said record in a reversedirection to lower the reproducer into playing position.

7. In a disk phonograph, the combination with a reproducer and a tonearm pivoted for movement therewith across a record, a lever carried bysaid tone arm, a cam carried by said lever and mounted for limiedrotation on a substantially horizontal axis, said cambeing ofisetlaterally from the tone arm but movable'laterally therewith, a stoparranged to act on said lever when the playing of a record has beensubstantially completed to move said cam into engagement with therecord, whereby it is rotated by its contact with the record to raisesaid reproducer out of playing position, is then transferred by therecord, with the reproducer, to approximately its initial position, andthen is rotated by the record in a reverse direction to lower thereproducer into playing when the playing of a! record is begun the camis positioned between the center of the record and the tone arm and whenthe playing of the record is completed the cam will be on the oppositeside of said center, said lever having a part positioned to lift thereproducer, and means for operating said lever'to move said cam intocontact with the recordsubstantiallyupon completion of the playing ofthe record.

9. A repeating attachment for disk phonographs comprising, incombination, a clamp adapted ,for attachment to the tone arm of thephonograph, a lever fulcrumed' on said clamp, a cam carried by saidlever, said lever having an extension to lift the reproducer, a devicefor actingon said lever to swing it on its fulcrum at substantially thecomple tion of the playing of the record, and a stop for limiting theswinging movement of the tone arm. 7

-l0. In a repeating mechanism for disk phonographs the combination witha tone arm and a reproducer connected thereto, of a cam mounted on thetone arm for lateral movement across the record in unison with the tonearm but for rotative movement relatively to said tone arm, means forholding said cam in an inoperative position during ,phonographs, thecombination with a tone arm and a reproducer connected thereto, of acammounted on the tone arm for lateral movement across the record inunison with the tone arm but for rotative movement relatively to saidtone arm, said cam adapt-- ed to be rotated in opposite directions bycontact with the record at different points and being operativewhenrotated in one direction to raise the reproducer out of playingposition and when rotated-in the oppo site direction to lower saidreproducer again into playing position, stop means for holding said camin an inoperative position dur+ ing the playing of a record, sai d camhaving an extension projecting therefrom, and

an arm arranged to engage said extension substantially at the completionof the play: ing of a record torotate said cam far enough to bring itinto operative contact with the record. I

WILLIAM B. FAGEOL.

